Knockdown chest of drawers



- sept. 10,l957 siDERMAN V KNOCKDOWN CHEST OF DRAWERS 2 Sheets-Sheet l Fi led Nov. 27, 1953 INVENTOR. Sam Der'm an arromz'x Sept 10, 1957 s. DERMAN KNOCKDOWN CHEST OF DRAWERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 27, 1955 INVENTOR. Sam 207ml.

HTTORNEX United States Patent KNOCKDOWN CHEST F DRAWERS Sam Derman, South Orange, N. J.

Application November 27, 1953, Serial No. 394,776

7 Claims. (Cl. 312-259) This invention relates to chests of drawers formed from corrugated or paperboard and wood strips and reinforcements. More particularly, the invention deals with furniture of the character described, wherein the entire cabinet, as well as the drawers of the cabinet, can be knocked down so as to facilitate packaging and shipment in a folded state forming a relatively small package and which can be quickly and easily set up for use.

Still more particularly, the invention deals with a chest of drawers of the character described, wherein the corrugated or paperboard sheets are coated with plastic coatings so as to provide an easy cleanable or washable product and, further, a product wherein the parts are relatively movable with a minimum amount of friction.

The novel features of the invention will be best understood from the following description, when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed and, in which the separate parts are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views and, in which:

Fig. l is a side view of an assembled chest of drawers made according to my invention, with parts of the construction broken away and in section.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the side and back wall structure and indicating the method of assembling the shelves or partitions.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the drawers showing the same in a partially formed position, indicating the flat position of the drawer in dotted lines.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a top wall member, indicating the facing material blank of said wall member in extended position in dotted lines; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional detailed view showing a modified form of construction which I employ.

In Fig. 1 of the drawing, I have shown at a chest of drawers formed from a plurality of parts or sections, some of which are duplicated. 11 represents what might be termed a body part, shown in perspective in partially extended position in Fig. 2 of the drawing; 12 is a partition or shelf part, four of which are employed in the construction shown; 13 a drawer part, again, four of which are shown in the present construction and a top wall part 14.

The body part 11 comprises a sheet of corrugated or other paperboad folded to form a back wall 15, similar side walls 16 and 17, each of which terminate in front columns 18 and 19, which are rectangular and tubular in cross-sectional form, the ends of the sheet being folded inwardly upon and secured to the side walls 16 and 17, in what may be termed flanges 20 and 21.

The columns or posts 18 and 19 have, on inner adjacent surfaces, when the body part 11 is in fully assembled position, spaced apertures or recesses 22 and 23 and below these recesses reinforcing blocks 24 and 25 are arranged to give stiffening to the columns or posts and also to reinforce the support of the shelves or partitions 12 therein. The lower blocks 24 and 25 ice also extend to the lower recesses, as will clearly appear from a consideration of Fig. 2 of the drawing.

The shelves or partitions 12 comprise sheets of corrugated or paperboard fashioned to form a plurality of projecting tongues 26 at the rear edge thereof which are adapted to fit in corresponding apertures 27 in the back wall 15, as clearly noted in Fig. 2 of the drawing. The forward corners of the sheet, from which the partitions or shelves 12 are formed, are cutout or notched, as seen at 28, the remaining portion of the sheet being folded to form a rectangular hollow reinforcing edge portion 29 which terminates in a flange 3! which is secured to the lower surface of the shelf.

The hollow edge portion 29 has reinforcing blocks 31 secured therein and projecting into the notched portions of the shelf or partition, the blocks being adapted to extend into the apertures and recesses 22 and 23 in supporting the forward edge portions of the shelves on the posts or columns 18 and 19. It will be understood that the blocks 31 also bear upon the blocks 24 and 25 arranged in the pistons or columns 18 and 19. It will also be apparent that the notching 28 includes a notchedout portion 32 for clearing the flanges 20 and 21 so that side edges of the shelves or partitions 12 will abut snugly upon inner surfaces of the side walls 16 and 17 when the body part 11 is fully assembled and with all of the shelves or partitions 12 in position. Only one of the shelves is shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing in order to simplify the illustration. It will also be apparent that the lower or bottom shelf forms the bottom of the resulting chest of drawers, as clearly noted in Fig. l of the drawing. The four shelves or partitions 12 form four drawer receiving compartments in the body 11 and, as each of these drawers are of the same construction, only one drawer 13 will be specifically described. One of these drawers is shown in partially folded position in Fig. 3 of the drawing and in the extended blank position in dotted lines.

Each drawer comprises a bottom wall 33, side walls 34, foldable with respect to side edges of the bottom '33. Both the front and back walls of the drawer are formed from a series of fo'ldably related parts, for example, the back wall has a part 35, which is fcldaole with the rear edge of the bottom part 33, the fold between said parts having spaced apertures 36 adapted to receive projecting tongues 37, on a part 38 foldable with respect to the upper edge portion of the part 35. In other words, the part 38 swings inwardly upon the part 35 with the tongues 37 entering the apertures 36.

Foldable with respect to the rear edges of the sides 34 are two rectangular flaps 39, lower edges of which are cutout as seen at 40, the cutouts being sufiiciently large to permit the tongues 37 to extend into the apertures 36. Adjacentedges of the flaps 39 abut, as will be clearly seen in Fig. 3 of the drawing and the part 38 folds inwardly upon and covers the flaps 39, when the drawer is fully assembled.

The front wall of each drawer is formed from a series of wall parts, namely a part 41 directly foldable with the forward edge of the bottom 33, said part having a long wood strip 42 secured to the outer surface thereof to form a handle member for the drawer. The part 41 has inwardly foldable side flanges 43 and foldable with respect to the upper edge of the part 41 is a supplemental front wall part 44 slightly narrower than the part 41, except for leaving projecting tongues 45 at the side edges, which are adapted to extend into the opening 46 formed beneath the intermediate front wall parts 47.

The intermediate front wall parts 47 are foldable with respect to forward edges of the side walls 34, preferably on a slight angle so as to maintain the front wall 41 in perpendicular position or in a position so that the upper edge of the front wall will bear snugly against the reinforcing strip '29 'of the partition to produce a neat and finished appearance at the front of the chest of drawers. The parts 47 have interengaging tongues 43 which secure said parts together and and; support the side walls 34 in proper perpendicular position. It will also be apparent that the upper-edges of the parts 47' are slightly lower than upper edges of the side walls 34, so as to compensate for the inwardly folded wall part 44. The wall parts 41 and 4 form aY'deeper front wall por-r tion so that the upper edge of the front wall portion overlies the strip 29 checking inward movement of the drawer, the side walls 34 as'we-ll as the back wall '35, 38 being of the same height as the sidewalls and sliding freely beneath the reinforcements 29. It will be appar-i ent that, by reason of the inturned flanges 4-3 and the dowdnwardly and inwardly turned wall part 44 all edges of the front of the drawer will be rounded, as indicated, for example, in Fig. l of the drawing.

The top wall part 14 is formed froma rectangular sheet comprising a central top wall portion 49 having projecting side flanges 50 and front and rear flanges 51, the latter joining the flanges 59 in bevelled corner portions 52 as clearly noted in Fig. 4 of the drawing, so that, in folding the flanges 50 and 51 inwardly upon the lower face of the rectangular sections 49, the various flanges will abut to form a top wall of two-ply thickness. To the lower surface of this top wall inwardly of the peripheral edges thereof is secured a rectangular frame '53, which is adapted to fit in the upper recesses 22 and 23 of the rails 18 and 19 and upon the inner surfaces of the side walls 16 and 17 and back wall 15, the forward portion of the frame 53 extending between the posts 18 and 19 and this part of the frame is preferably covered with a facing strip of a material matching the facing strips employed upon the various wall parts of the cabinet and, if desired, the entire frame 53 can be so covered.

In producing articles of the kind under consideration, it is customary to either directly print on the paperboard employed a pattern or design or to face the board with a facing sheet, giving a predetermined pattern or design to the resulting furniture. This is old and well known in the art and, for this reason, no detailed showing is made thereof, as it forms no part of the present in-' vention.

It will be noted from a consideration of 'Fig. l of the rawing that the dimensions of the top of the chest of drawers is larger than the cross-sectional dimensions of the'body Ell so as to form projecting rim portions which produce a neat and finished appearance and also fully protect and shield upper edges of the various portions of the body part 11. It will also be apparent from a consideration of Fig. 2 of the drawing that the upper edges or" the flanges, as well as parts of the column 18 and 19,

are cutaway, as seen at 54, to receive the frame 53, so

that the top wall 14 will rest flushly upon upper edges of the body part 11.

With the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, the body part 11 is held in assembled relationship with the partitions or shelves 12 by passing tacks or other fastening devices through the. columns 18 and 19 into the blocks 31 and these are all of the fastenings that are required in the complete assemblage, it being understood; thatthe columns 18 and 19, as well as the assembled top wall 14 are prefabricated in assembled relationship of the parts and this is also true ofthe blocks 31 attached to the hollow reinforcing edges 29 of the shelves or partitions 12. In the knocked down state, the parts 16, 1,8'and 17, 19 are foldable upon the wall andthe four shelves and the four blanks forming the four drawers, together. with the fabricated top wall, are nested within boundaries of the back wall 15 in a relatively thin and small package, which materially facilitates transportation of the chest of drawers to the purchaser, the storage of the. purchased. products prior to sale to. the ultimate consumer, who, in

4 following a simple instruction sheet, is enabled to assemble the 'parts'to form the resulting chest of drawers. The importance of merchandising a knockdown chest of drawers of the type and kind under consideration is not only to economize on the production cost and simplify packaging, but also in the saving of shipping space, which is a very important factor. I have found that three knocked down chests of drawers oani'be-sh pped in a space normally occupied by a completely assembled chest of drawers. Further, the small package makes it possible to care for mail order shipments, in that the package. has been reduced to a size acceptable by the post ofiice for mailing.

In Fig. 5 of the drawing, 1 have shown a slight modification, wherein blocks 31'', similar to the blocks 31, have notches 55 formed therein to engage inwardly extending portions 56 of a column 18', similar to column 18. In other words, at 22' is shown an aperture or recess which is smaller than the apertures or recesses 22, so as to provide the portions 56 to enter the notches or reoesses 59.. This construction avoids the'necessity to use the fastening devices in assemblage of the body part of the cabinet. The structure of Fig.5 is otherwise thesam'e as that shown in the other figures.

The exterior surfaces of the parts 11, 12, 13 and 14 will preferably be coated with a plastic material to facilitate cleaning of the parts when inuse and this plastic coating also provides-smooth engaging surfaces between the 'parts and, particularly, the drawers and the shelves in the in-- ward and outward movement ofthe drawers.

In some instances, the handle members 42 can be attached in the process of assembling the chest 'of drawers, in which event, fasteners would be passed through the walls 41 and 44 and into the handle members 42. In

this connection, it will also be understood that the flanges 20 and 21 can be secured in position by the use of fasteningdevices of any type or kind to dispense with gluing operations.

Further, it will be apparent that, in the packaging and shipment of the parts, the side wall portions 34 of the drawer units, including the parts foldable thereon, can be collectively disposed upon the bottom wall 33 in order to minimize the sizeof'the package.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a knockdown chest of drawers 0f the character described, a body part-including a top wall, said body'part comprising a single sheet of material folded to form back and side walls and columns at forward edges of said side Walls, said columns being rectangular in orossrsectional form, the columns having vertically spaced alined apertures on opposed walls of said columns, means fixed in the columns at vertically. spaced intervals for reinforcing the columns adjacent the apertures therein, the back wall of said body part having horizontally spaced apertures in horizontal alinement with the apertures in said columns, a plurality of partitions, said partitions having projecting means adapted to extend into the apertures of said' col= umns and back wall in support of the partitions at vertically spaced intervals in said body part, and the projecting: means on said partitions having notches receiving part of the columns to retain the side walls of the body part and said partitions against relative movement.

2. In a knockdown. chest of drawers of the character. described, a chest comprising a, bodypart, similar partition parts uda top wall part, the body part comprising f oldably related back and side walls, th side walls terminating at their forward edges in vertical columns-of. rectangular cross-sectional form; said columns having vertically spaced openings on adjacent surfaces when in assembled relationship, each partition comprising a flatsheet'having a hollow forward edge portion of rectangular cross-sectional form with blocks disposed at the end portions of said hollow edge adapted to enter the openings of said columns in supporting the forward edges of a pluralityr of partitions within and between the walls of'the body-part, and said partitions. and backwall of the body part having interengaging means for supporting the rear portions of the partitions within the body part in forming a plurality of drawer receiving compartments arranged vertically in the body part.

3. In a knockdown chest of drawers of the character described, a chest comprising a body part, similar partition parts and a top wall part, the body part comprising foldably related back and side walls, the side walls terminating at their forward edges in vertical columns of rectangular cross-sectional form, said columns having vertically spaced openings on adjacent surfaces when in assembled relationship, each partition comprising a flat sheet having a hollow forward edge portion of rectangular cross-sectional form with blocks disposed at the end portions of said hollow edge adapted to enter the openings of said columns in supporting the forward edges of a plurality of partitions within and between the Walls of the body part, said partitions and back wall of the body part having interengaging means for supporting the rear portions of the partitions within the body part in forming a plurality of drawer receiving compartments arranged vertically in the body part, means for reinforcing the columns adjacent all of the openings therein, the columns of the body part including flange portions extending onto and secured to inner surfaces of the side walls, and said partitions being cutout to clear the columns and said flanges.

4. In a knockdown chest ofdrawers of the character described, a chest comprising a body part, similar partition parts and a top wall part, the body part comprising foldably related back and side walls, the side walls terminating at their forward edges in vertical columns of rectangular cross-sectional form, said columns having vertically spaced openings on adjacent surfaces when in assembled relationship, each partition comprising a flat sheet having a hollow forward edge portion of rectangular cross-sectional form with blocks disposed at the end portions of said hollow edge adapted to enter the openings of said columns in supporting the forward edges of a plurality of partitions within and between the walls of the body part, said partitions and back wall of the body part having interengaging means for supporting the rear por tions of the partitions within the body part in forming a plurality of drawer receiving compartments arranged vertically in the body part, means for reinforcing the columns adjacent all of the openings therein, the columns of the body part including flange portions extending onto and secured to inner surfaces of the side walls, said partitions being cutout to clear the columns and said flanges, said top wall part including a rectangular frame adapted to be arranged within the side and back walls, and said flanges and columns being cutout to receive the frame of said top wall part.

5. In a knockdown chest of drawers of the character described, a chest comprising a body part, similar partition parts and a top wall part, the body part comprising fold-ably related back and side walls, the side walls terminating at their forward edges in vertical columns of rectangular cross-sectional form, said columns having verticaly spaced openings on adjacent surfaces when in assembled relationship, each partition comprising a flat sheet having a hollow forward edge portion of rectangular cross-sectional form with blocks disposed at the end portions of said hollow edge adapted to enter the openings of said columns in supporting the forward edges of a plurality of partitions within and between the walls of the body part, said partitions and back wall of the body part having interengaging means for supporting the rear portions of the partitions within the body part in forming a plurality of drawer receiving compartments arranged vertically in the body part, means for reinforcing the columns adjacent all of the openings therein, the columns of the body part including flange portions extending onto and secured to inner surfaces of the side Walls, said partitions being cutout to clear the columns and said flanges, said top wall part including a rectangular frame adapted to be arranged within the side and back walls, said flanges and columns being cutout to receive the frame of said top Wall part, and the interengaging means comprising projecting spaced tongues on each partition engaging correspondingly shaped apertures in the back Wall.

6. In a knockdown chest of drawers of the character described, a chest comprising a body part, similar partition parts and a top wall part, the body part comprising foldably related back and side walls, the side walls terminating at their forward edges in vertical columns of rectangular cross-sectional form, said columns having vertically spaced openings on adjacent surfaces when in assembled relationship, each partition comprising a flat sheet having a hollow forward edge portion of rectangular cross-sectional form with blocks disposed at the end portions of said hollow edge adapted to enter the openings of said columns in supporting the forward edges of a plurality of partitions within and between the walls of the body part, said partitions and back wall of the body part having interengaging means for supporting the rear portions of the partitions within the body part in forming a plurality of drawer receiving compartments arranged vertically in the body part, and reinforcing blocks in each column registering with the :apertures therein to receive the mounting of the partition blocks therein.

7. In a knockdown chest of drawers of the character described, a chest comprising a body part, similar partition parts and a top wall part, the body part comprising foldably related back and side walls, the side walls terminating at their forward edges in vertical columns of rectangular cross-sectional form, said columns having vertically spaced openings on adjacent surfaces when in assembled relationship, each partition comprising a flat sheet having a hollow forward edge portion of rectangular cross-sectional form with blocks disposed at the end portions of said hollow edge adapted to enter the openings of said columns in supporting the forward edges of a plurality of partitions within and between the walls of the body part, said partitons and back wall of the body part having interengaging means for supporting the rear portions of the partitions Within the body part in forming a plurality of drawer receiving compartments arranged vertically in the body part, reinforcing blocks in each column registering with the apertures therein to receive the mounting of the partition blocks therein, and the lower blocks in each column extending to recesses in the lower ends of said columns.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,714,909 Illmer May 28, 1929 2,281,959 Stone May 5, 1942 2,350,280 Holtzman May 30, 1944 2,552,158 Dubofi May 8, 1951 2,558,209 Derman June 26, 1951 2,600,050 Duboif et al. June 10, 1952 

